by Zoe Allison
The one problem he had was he couldn’t read how she felt about him. He could tell she liked him as a friend, and he was even pretty sure there was a spark of chemistry, but it seemed she was holding back. He thought it might be because she didn’t find him attractive enough to take it further. That was why he’d been trying not to act on impulse. He didn’t want to inappropriately read into things and overstep the mark.
Maybe she still saw him as the class clown from school and not someone to be taken seriously. Or perhaps was she still infatuated with Callum. That last one must be a factor, Damon decided. Eva hadn’t spelled it out because she was clearly humiliated about it, but the guy must have done the dirty in some way. He was probably the one who had walked away from her and she was yearning for him to take her back. Shit. If she was still hung up on that smooth-talking Scotsman, there was no way Damon would be able to convince her to give him a second glance.
The only conclusion was to keep his feelings in lock down so that he didn’t frighten her off. But it was difficult. He couldn’t help letting the flirty comments slip from his stupid mouth. She was so gorgeous and sexy. Every time he saw her, he had an overwhelming desire to be near her. When he wasn’t with her, he was constantly fighting the wanderings of his mind as he imagined peeling off layer after layer of her clothing until he could see just how beautiful she was naked. For God’s sake, it’s happening again. The treadmill wasn’t working this time. Maybe if he had a cold shower and a swim in the pool, that might serve him better. He slowed the treadmill to a stop, grabbed his towel, rubbed it over his face and hair and clambered off the machine, the image of what Eva might look like standing before him in her underwear playing on his mind.
* * * *
Eva let the hot shower run over her face. Jane had organised for Eva and Rachel to attend the spa for treatments and for all of them to use the facilities together once she clocked off.
Rachel tipped her head back into the poolside shower next to Eva. “I’m so relaxed. That facial was heaven.”
“I know,” Eva said through the water. “I could just lie down and go to sleep.”
Rachel glanced down. “Is your leg okay now?”
“Yeah, much better, thanks,” Eva said.
Rachel paused. “By the way, if they don’t like you, guys don’t drop everything to literally carry you into the hospital then stay with you while you get sorted.”
Eva rolled her eyes. “I know he likes me. We’re friends.”
Rachel sighed. “You know what I mean.”
She wondered if she should tell Rachel how tactile Damon had been. She might as well, Rachel had already guessed Eva’s true feelings anyway.
“What!” Rachel said, so loudly that Eva had to shush her. “He so fancies you.”
“Rachel,” Eva groaned. “Can we not talk about it?”
“Why not? This needs to be talked about.”
“Because I’ve messed it all up.”
“How?”
Eva hesitated. “I cried at that bloody film. I didn’t know what it was about and got emotional. You know, because of Callum.”
Rachel didn’t say anything.
Eva cleared her throat. “So, you know, he saw me all upset and will’ve known it was about Callum so it will’ve put him off. Plus I’m really ugly when I cry.”
“Okay…” Rachel said. “Are you sure that was the only reason you were upset? What was the movie about?
“Nothing major,” Eva said quickly. “Just relationship problems.”
Rachel hesitated. Her voice was quiet. “Do you think you were emotional because of Oliver?”
Ice stabbed into Eva’s gut at the mention of that name. “No. And I don’t want to talk about him.”
“Okay,” Rachel said gently. “Listen… I’m sure it’s retrievable. Don’t worry.”
Eva swallowed down her racing heart, forcing Oliver’s name and all thoughts of him into the dark recess of her mind. It was good that Rachel didn’t know the whole story.
Jane joined them and they headed for the Jacuzzi, climbing in. The water was so warm and comforting. Eva felt as if she might lay her head on the pile of bubbles frothing next to her and float off to sleep.
Rachel’s voice cut through the sleep cloud in Eva’s mind. “What was the lowdown from Damon about Dave?”
Eva sat straighter to wake herself up. “His exact words were ‘Dave fancies Jane’. No, wait, ‘Dave totally fancies Jane.’”
Jane’s cheeks flushed and Eva suspected that was not a result of the heat from the Jacuzzi.
Rachel leaned back into the froth. “Excellent. Now we need to get planning for the reunion. It’s not long away.”
Jane frowned. “Planning, as in what?”
Rachel held up her hand. “Don’t panic. I just mean we need to make sure you two have drop dead gorgeously sexy outfits and sort out tactics.”
Eva looked at her. “The two of us? But it’s only Jane we’re trying to fix up.”
Rachel laughed. “Yeah right. We’re also on ‘mission Damon’ here, you know.”
Eva rolled her eyes. “It’s a lost cause. Just call it a day, will you?”
Rachel shook her head. “Never.”
Eva shrank farther into the bubbles.
Rachel went on about how they would all meet at the bar for a drink then walk along to the hotel for the reunion.
Eva didn’t want to think about it anymore. “Okay whatever you want. I’m going for a swim. It’s too hot in here and I’m about to fall asleep.”
Eva climbed out of the Jacuzzi and walked the short distance to the swimming pool. It was empty and the blue water shimmered invitingly. She lowered herself in and a shock of cold jolted through her. She quickly pushed herself off and swam, trying to warm up.
She moved her limbs in a breaststroke to take her to the other end of the pool and back again. Rachel and Jane were crossing along the side from the Jacuzzi to the steam room, and she gave them a wave. She contacted the side and pushed off again. The water rippled over her, soothing her muscles.
After a number of lengths, she touched the side and held on for a moment. Eyeing the hydrotherapy pool on the right, she placed her palms on the edge and pushed herself up and out. She ran a hand over her wet hair and stepped forward, about to turn and walk on towards the hydrotherapy area, when she discovered that Damon was in the gym on the other side of the glass partition.
Eva froze. He was climbing off a treadmill, glowing with perspiration and the muscles in his arms and legs appearing even more pumped up than usual. He caught her gaze as he rubbed a towel over his face and appeared shocked for a second.
She was rooted to the spot, taken off-guard at the fact he was there and unprepared for the onslaught of heat inside her, spreading like wildfire through every nerve-ending in her body. She willed herself to do something but she couldn’t move. He lifted his hand in a wave then gestured that he was coming through to the pool. She managed a half-wave half-thumbs up gesture and walked away into the hydrotherapy area.
Shit. He was coming in there any minute and she’d made a fool of herself. There’s no way he wouldn’t have noticed that she was practically drooling over him through that glass. With a start she realised that he’d be wearing even less clothing. How was she going to contain herself then? She looked around for Rachel and Jane to come rescue her, but they’d left the steam room for the sauna only minutes before and weren’t showing any signs of reappearing.
She climbed into the hydrotherapy pool, which was cooler than the Jacuzzi but also bubbling away and watched the door of the men’s changing room, torn between wanting to see Damon and the urge to run off and hide. He wasn’t there. Had he changed his mind and gone home?
Then he appeared. Eva sucked in her breath. His hair and skin were wet and glistening from the shower he’d clearly taken post-gym, small beads of water clinging to his muscular form. He was wearing navy swim shorts that came to mid-thigh. She took in the contours of those fit thighs and calve
s, his toned chest and abdomen.
Eva willed herself to stop staring at his body before he glanced up and caught her—and only just managed it. He gave her a wave and walked over. After he broke eye contact to start walking, she raked her gaze over his body again. The fire burning inside her threatened to consume her and she was relieved to be sitting in cool water.
Damon lowered himself into the pool and moved towards her. Oh my God, he’s so sexy.
Damon sat on one of the underwater shelves across from her. “Hello. Wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
Eva willed her voice to appear. “Rachel and I met Jane here after work for some treatments. They’re just cooking themselves in the sauna over there.”
He smiled. “Didn’t you want to go in?
“Nah, I can’t take the heat.” She caught his gaze, the heat in her own face rising by about ten degrees. She swallowed. “Are you a member of the gym?”
He nodded. “I usually come in the evening after work because it’s easier to get on the equipment. The pool’s really nice after a workout too.”
He sank farther into the water and rested his elbows onto the sides behind him. Eva studied the muscles in his arms. Where were Rachel and Jane when she needed them?
She cleared her throat. “What’re you doing at the weekend?”
He looked her in the eye again and she thought she was going to melt and become one with the pool. “On Friday I said I’d meet Dave for a drink in the Swan, and I was thinking…” He shifted across to come sit next to her. “After what we were discussing about Dave and Jane, I wondered if you two would want to join us on Friday? It might break the ice a bit for them to have a drink together before the reunion.”
Eva used all her willpower to drag her thoughts away from the fact that his practically naked body was right next her while she weighed up the idea.
“That’s sounds good. I’ll run it past Jane and hopefully she’ll go for it.”
He smiled. “Great. We’ll get these two kids together yet. We’re just like our mums.”
Eva laughed. “I hope not.”
He was so close. She thought his arm brushed against hers through the bubbles of the pool. For a moment he flicked his gaze to her mouth, then the door of the steam room hoisted open and he turned his head towards it. Rachel and Jane came out onto the poolside, looking flushed.
Damon turned back to Eva. “I’m going to jump in the pool. Let me know what Jane reckons about Friday.”
She nodded. “Okay, thanks.”
He stood and climbed out of the water. As he walked along to the main pool, he stopped and exchanged a greeting and a brief chat with her friends, who appeared surprised to see him. Then he lowered himself into the main pool and start swimming lengths. He used a front crawl and Eva admired the form of his arms and legs as he cut through the water.
“Ahem.”
Eva startled, realizing that Rachel and Jane were now in the pool next to her but she’d been oblivious to their arrival.
“What?” Eva asked.
Rachel smiled. “What’re you staring at?”
“Nothing,” Eva said, moving her hands through the water. “Just thinking how nice this pool is.”
“And how nice the view is,” Rachel muttered under her breath.
Jane smiled and gave Eva a sympathetic look. “What’re you guys doing at the weekend?”
Rachel leaned back. “We’ve got Marcus’ family coming to visit.”
Eva glanced up. “Jane and I are going to the pub on Friday night.”
Jane frowned. “We are?”
Eva nodded. “Damon was just telling me he and Dave are going, and he asked us along as well.”
Rachel’s eyes lit up. “Perfect. A double date.”
“It’s not a date,” Eva said quickly, spotting the expression of terror on Jane’s face. “Just four friends having a drink.”
“Okay, whatever you want to call it.” Rachel rubbed her hands together. “It still means my plan is coming together.”
Eva looked at Rachel with raised eyebrows. Then she turned to Jane. “Is that okay? I’ve not committed to it yet, so if you don’t want to then that’s no problem.”
Jane smiled. “Yes. I’ll be a bit nervous, but I think it’ll be a good laugh.”
Eva watched Damon get out of the pool and give them a wave as he headed into the changing room. She smiled. “I think so too.”
Chapter Thirteen
Eva put on a strappy top paired with her jeans and went downstairs to find her jacket and boots. She chose a soft faux leather grey jacket and her short wedge boots. As soon as she finished pulling on the last one, the doorbell went and there was Jane, looking lovely but terrified. Jane lived a bit farther away, but she’d been keen to call for Eva to walk to the pub together because she didn’t want to arrive on her own. The guys were going to be there already, because they were meeting straight from work.
Eva left the house. “Jane, don’t look so scared.”
Jane blew out a deep breath. “Sorry. I feel sick.”
Eva hugged her then left her arm around her shoulders as they started to walk along the road. “Don’t worry. It’s just a little drink, and all four of us will be there together. You can just have a casual chat with Dave and see how it goes.”
Jane took a breath in and out again. “You’re right. I need to calm down. I’m just making this into something bigger than it is because I really like Dave and, before this, I’ve been in the same relationship since school.”
Eva dropped her arm and gave Jane a nudge. “And he really likes you too, don’t forget.”
Jane nodded, though she still appeared unconvinced.
They arrived at the pub. As they made their way through the periphery of people towards the bar, Eva scouted around for Damon and Dave. She spotted them at a table nearby.
They headed over. Dave saw them first and stood, meeting them halfway to the table.
He greeted Eva first with a kiss on the cheek. “Hey, Eva, long time, no see.” He leaned into her ear. “Thanks for coming.”
Eva smiled. “Great to see you.”
Dave turned to Jane and they gave each other a hug.
Over Dave’s shoulder, Damon was getting up.
Dave smiled. “What can I get you to drink?
“G and T please,” said Eva.
Jane nodded. “The same for me, thank you.”
Dave went to the bar and Eva walked over to Damon. He enveloped her in a tight hug. It took her off guard because she’d sensed he’d been holding back on the friendly affection since the cinema incident. He let her go and gave Jane a peck on the cheek before the three of them sat, Eva next to Damon and across from Jane.
Eva touched his arm. “You all right? What time did you guys get here?”
He rubbed his face. “About five-thirty. And no, not really. Bloody Dave drinks like a fish and he’s been getting the beers in like there’s no tomorrow. It’s gone to my head, especially because I’ve not had anything to eat since lunchtime.”
Eva studied Damon’s face. His eyes did seem a little glazed.
Jane smiled. “Did you ask Dave to get you a soft drink this round?”
Damon nodded. “Yeah, but just wait and see what he comes back with.”
Dave approached the table with a tray of drinks. “Right, gin and tonic for Eva, the same for Jane and a pint of lager for Damon.”
Damon rolled his eyes.
Eva laughed. “Not sure that was Damon’s exact order, Dave.”
Dave shrugged, smiling. “I’ve no idea what you mean.”
He sat next to Jane and started chatting easily to her.
Damon leaned over to Eva’s ear. “Dave was keen for some Dutch courage, hence the early start.”
Eva shivered. Damon’s lips had lightly brushed her ear as he spoke. She nodded and turned her head to whisper back to him. “Jane’s really nervous, but it looks like he’s putting her at ease. ‘Mission matchmaker’ is a go.”
Damon smiled, then leaned back in. “All this beer has taken its toll. I need to visit the facilities. Keep an eye on our little love birds for me while I’m gone.”
“No worries, Cupid.” Eva mimed shooting a bow and arrow.
Damon stood and headed towards the rest rooms, swaying slightly as he went.
She turned back to the others. “I think Damon’s struggling.” She smiled. “Is he a bit of a lightweight nowadays?”
Dave rolled his eyes. “Oh yeah, absolutely. He’s been on this health kick since things went south for him and Sarah—at the gym loads and hardly drinking any alcohol.” He smiled, his tone affectionate. “Freak.”
“Ah, okay,” Eva said. “We might be carrying him home at this rate.”
Dave grinned. “Wouldn’t be the first time, Eva.” He started telling them a few tales of alcohol-related shenanigans that he and Damon had been involved in in the past.
They were all laughing as Damon approached the table.
He took his seat next to Eva. “What’s so funny?”
Dave tapped the side of his nose. “Just giving the ladies some important background info on you.”
Damon raised his eyebrows. “That sounds dubious.”
Eva laughed. “I never knew that the traffic cone on top of the statue in town was your doing.”
Damon shook his head. “Trust Dave to be giving away all my secrets.”
The four of them chatted about school days and traded funny stories. Eva had everyone in stitches with some tales from when she worked in A&E. “So the guy reckoned he’d fallen on it,” she concluded. “And that’s how it got lodged up there.”
“Fell on it?” Dave said. “How do you fall onto a cucumber?”